Over the past couple of weeks I have had a lot of time to think about God's kindness towards me.  I have had more than a few close calls where my life could have ended.  I have no cliche answer for why I have been spared and allowed to keep going.   One part of this most recent accident has had great impact on me. 

As I was being attended to and rushed to the hospital, Jennifer was receiving a call from CHP (California Highway Patrol).  I realize she received mostly good news, but the reality of that call is that once the officer identified himself she immediately anticipated hearing I was dead.  The officer informed her I was alive and on the way to the hospital, but in those moments our minds go to worse case scenario. 

I grieve the grief and fear that came over my wife in those moments.  I now know that the call scared her greatly.  Once she realized I was alive and where to find me, she then had to go into management mode. In some ways her grieving was put on hold as she had to think through what needed to be done. Fortunately we had a great friend come watch the kids and set up others to help and another friend brought her to the Hospital where I was taken. 

It just further cements the great value of having friends who will be there when you need them.  Not just people who will drive by but those who will be reliably there.  Ultimately God is the one who is always reliably there, but faithful friends are just amazing gifts.  In those first chaotic moments, those friends who came to watch our kids and take Jennifer to the hospital spoke to our kids about what was happening, prayed over them and reassured them.

So not only was God gracious to spare me, He also took great care to provide faithful friends to cover my family and their fear and sorrow.  God has been reminding me in amazing ways that I am not alone.  I am surrounded by faithful followers who are there.  My beautiful wife and family are surrounded by faithful followers.  It is too easy to forget that.  Hopefully it won't take a near death experience for me to be reminded of God's ever present help in the form of His body the church! 

I am so humbled and amazed at the amazing lengths God has gone to show us His love for us.  Our calling is to respond in gratitude to His work in our life.  We have many opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those around us.  In doing so, we might just be the reminder someone desperately needs that they are not alone!